Attache MistakenI would like to respond to the article...

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

November 02, 1993

Attache Mistaken

I would like to respond to the article "Pakistan's 'repression' condemned" (The Sun, Oct. 19).

Orchids to the Baltimore City Council and Council President Mary Pat Clarke for being the first city in the U.S. to pass a resolution "supporting religious freedom throughout the world and condemning the systematic repression of the Ahmadis by the Pakistan government."

It is unfortunate, however, that Malik Zahoor Ahmad, press attache at the Pakistan embassy, was chosen to represent the true situation of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. Mr. Malik is either misinformed, ignorant of the facts or is in the habit of fabricating stories.

Mr. Zahoor indicates in his comments that anyone believing as Ahmadi Muslims do cannot be true Muslims. This is not up to Mr. Zahoor nor even the Pakistan government to decide.

According to Islam, a person has only to declare belief in the one God and that Muhammad is his messenger to be considered a Muslim. God, only, has the final say in this matter.

The constitution of Pakistan, itself, guarantees freedom of religion and that "every religious denomination and every sect shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions."

His statement that "when Ahmadis are put in prison, it is for such crimes as rape and robbery, not because of following Islam," is completely false. If a person were known to have committed such crimes, he would be excommunicated and no longer considered an Ahmadi.

There is a massive amount of documented evidence of the systematic and governmental persecution of Ahmadis for their faith alone.

Many international agencies have carried out investigations and published reports. These agencies include Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists and the Human Rights Advocates, Inc. of the U.S.A. An excellent resource is "Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan" by Mujeeb-ur Rehman, a well-known senior member of the Pakistan bar.

It is hard to believe that Malik Zahoor Ahmad is unaware of all of this information.

To conclude, an esteemed body such as the Baltimore City Council would certainly not have carelessly passed such an important resolution without having been presented with a thorough investigation of those facts. Which, indeed, they were.

Zainab Asad

Timonium

Interesting Format

I just had to write and let you know how I enjoyed your transportation supplement (Oct. 19). It was most interesting and informational.

I couldn't put it down until I had finished the quiz puzzle. Everything was so understandable and graphic. It gave me many VTC things in transportation that I have never thought about before and it was everything one needs to know about transportation.

Thelma Kelley

Baltimore

Real Message

President and Mrs. Clinton no doubt selected Johns Hopkins University as a venue for explaining the socialization of medicine in America because the venerable medical school offers no curriculum in family or general medicine, the non-specialty upon which universal coverage will depend.

Apparently, few of the best and brightest sub-specialty-bound med students in attendance were able to read between the TelePrompTer lines: The two lawyers making the pitch were actually telling many of them to forgo a life of hard work and big salaries for a life of harder work and much lower salaries.

Perhaps the real message at Johns Hopkins was: "You should have gone to a prestigious law school like we did."

Rob Ringle

Frederick

Wrong Reaction

Secretary of Licensing and Regulation William Fogle's proposed statewide ban on smoking in private work sites is an emotional and irresponsible reaction to the tragic Sunday explosion that was not caused by the smoking but caused by a human mistake and negligence.

Gov. William Donald Schaefer's initial supportive response to Mr. Fogle's proposal is totally irresponsible. If an administrator such as Mr. Fogle is allowed to override the legislative process through the General Assembly on this issue, where will it stop?

I have lived in Maryland for 22 years, obeyed the laws, paid my substantial state and local taxes and I fear fanaticism and dictatorial activity by state administrators who challenge the integrity of the legislative process.

We, the residents of Maryland, cannot allow a regulatory ban to take place. If we do, we will be allowing a precedent of immeasurable proportions that may challenge our future liberties.

Lydia E. Koutze

Silver Spring

German History Revisited

In reply to Nelson Marans' letter to the editor, Oct. 27, entitled "Germany's History," I would like to reply.

My intent when writing my letter was not to paint Germany or Austria as a perfect place to live. I was not commenting on their political system, but on their criminal justice system and the cleanliness of the country as a whole.